Last month the negotiations for the IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Frame-work), believed to be the ‘first platform of its kind’ for economic partnership across the Asia-Pacific region, took place in Busan from 10–14 June. In the midst of a rapidly disintegrating global economy, this article explores the questions that immediately arise about the new framework. These include: what are the Korea’s motivations for joining the new U.S.-led initiative; what could be the Korea’s policy directions that we should consider together with the IPEF given the current global economic and geopolitical situation.